


Unsolicited Vignettes

by scipunx



Series: Unsolicited [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Multi, OC!Kurenai, Romance, character exploration, prepare for crack ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-30 23:49:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 3,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3956524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scipunx/pseuds/scipunx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>vi·gnette</b> <i>n.</i> a scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, idea, setting, or object. [ Mid-18th century. | French, "small vine" (from such decorations in margins in early books) | <i>vigne</i> ]</p><p>Drabbles/oneshots from the <i>Unsolicited Providence</i> 'verse. Requests are open.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. her rejection only stings

**Author's Note:**

> These are random vignettes that may or may not be "canon" to the actual fic. My reprieve from writing the giant, messy babby that is the main fic. Totes author wank.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He asks, just this once. [unrequited Asuma/Kurenai]

It’s surprising how her rejection only stings for a little while.

“Ah well, at least I tried,” his grin masks his heartache.

Her smile is gentle and apologetic, yet almost secretive in the faint curve of her lips. She leans in to kiss him on the cheek chastely, and it almost makes up for everything.

“We would’ve never worked out, Sarutobi,” she straightens the rumpled collar of his starchy dress shirt, a wistful fondness softening her crimson eyes. “But in another universe, maybe.”


	2. i'm worried about you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizune always worries about her. [Kurenai/Shizune?]

Shizune’s gentle hands ghost over the gash on her shoulder, flesh knitting itself back together in their wake. Kurenai marvels at the slender planes of the medic’s fingers, at the strength coiled in those tendons, lying underneath a spring of caring warmth. It seems to envelop her with every instance of Shizune’s concerned looks in her direction, whenever she would grasp Kurenai’s hands and squeeze with reassurance and fond regard: _“You don’t have to push yourself so hard, Ren.”_ She admires the light curvature of Shizune’s smile with those words and the way her eyes crinkle with a sort of affection reserved for her and perhaps only a few others.

The weary sigh catches Kurenai off-guard, for once. “What am I going to do with you, Ren?”

“Heal me up and feed me soup, duh,” she tries to keep the lightness in her tone. “Why else would I keep you around?”

Shizune’s brows knit together, lips pursing. Guilt starts to leach itself underneath her skin. Did she go too far? Is she actually offended?

“I’m worried about you,” Shizune says instead.

Another dismissive shrug. It’s become an instinctive reaction, now. “You’re always worried about me.”

“I’m being serious,” she says it in that ‘no bullshit’ professional medic voice of hers, and Kurenai realises how much she’s fucked up this time. “You can’t keep wearing yourself away like that.”

“I’ve got people’s lives riding on my back.” It’s not like the kunoichi ever planned on or even wants to play hero, anyway.

Or even become a kunoichi in the first place.

Shizune reaches out to grasp at an ebony lock of hair, fingers running through velvet before letting it drop back against Kurenai’s shoulder.

“I’m tired of watching people die,” she says quietly.

A frantic voice yells from outside, “MEDIC!” Shizune’s sigh carries the weight of her burden as she pushes away the tent flap, not before casting a tired glance back at her best friend.

“Duty calls.”

The blast of frigid air from the falling tent flap makes Kurenai shudder, and her shoulder stings in the ghost of marred flesh.


	3. he readies the senbon needle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pierce me, baby. [Genma/Kurenai]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always imagined Genma to be a rebel with a ponytail who pierced his own ears as a teenager.

“Now, hold still.”

He lets himself smile like an idiot while she’s not looking, her face adorably scrunched up in trepidation. The kunoichi’s faced more challenging opponents than this puny thing, and yet here she is, gripping his sleeve with her eyes screwed shut in fear.

“Just do it already!” she whines.

He readies the senbon needle, and she holds her breath. In a practised art form, Genma fluidly pierces her helix in a tiny, well-rehearsed motion.

When it’s all said and done in a flash, Kurenai loosens her hold on his arm, and he’s only slightly disappointed at the loss of contact.

She blinks, surprise registering in her crimson eyes. “That’s it?”

Chuckling softly, Genma gently threads the silver ring through her piercing, pinching its circumference tightly into the captive bead.

“Yeah, it’s all done,” he draws back and tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear, examining his work. The site of the piercing is starting to redden, but that’s normal from all of his own experiences. “Wanna take a look?”

Kurenai’s face lights up at her reflection after he holds up the mirror.  “Damn, I look fuckin’ cool,” she grins, admiring the gleaming earring at different angles. “Thanks, Genma.”

A warm feeling blooms in his chest. Genma does his utmost to ignore it and asks casually, “You sure you don’t want me to poke any more holes in your ears?” He places the mirror down on the desk behind him.

She quickly leans in to capture his lips and traces the shell of his ear, itself adorned with metal of his own doing. “Maybe later,” she murmurs.

Her eyes smoulder, and he lets himself get burned.

Smirking, Genma runs his fingers through her unruly waves, catching the sweet floral notes of her shampoo. “Maybe you should let Shizune-chan fix that up for you, first.”

“Nah, Shizune can wait,” Kurenai says coyly, sidling into his lap. She licks a trail over his Adam’s apple, making his breath hitch. “She’s patient, unlike me.”

Genma feigns a put-upon sigh but smiles as he leans down, pressing a kiss to her own neck in return.

“Guess patience is overrated, anyway.”


	4. like a sister-in-arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Better friends than lovers. [unrequited Asuma/Kurenai]

Asuma wonders when he’d stopped looking at Kurenai as some hot chick he wouldn’t mind inviting to his bed, and when he’d started seeing her as an irreplaceable friend, like a sister-in-arms.

It’s not like he hasn’t noticed how she maintains a deliberately safe distance between them both. He can see the slight reservation in every hug, every back thump and reassuring hand touches, like there is a gap between them that will never ever be crossed. Kurenai doesn’t hold back with the others like she does with him, as if she knows. She stands on the precipice of some rift that separates them, always staying in that position, never daring to stray across the abyss.

He was never waiting for her to make the jump from the other side, not really. She will never look at him that way, and he’s strangely fine with it—happy, even.

Asuma, however, isn’t afraid to admit to himself that maybe, he was in love with Kurenai once before, just a little bit.

It’s not like he doesn’t love her now, though. On the contrary, Asuma loves her even more, in a way that transcends idealised romance and the harbouring of lewd fantasies with his hand stuck down his trousers (which he will shamefully admit, still happens infrequently on those lonely nights… but hey, a guy has needs, okay?). 

Maybe he is supposed to be in love with her, like everyone expects him to be. Raidou certainly seems to think so with those sympathetic looks of his. Asuma’s fists clench whenever he sees the flashes of pity in his teammate’s expression, sometimes. He has to restrain himself from stubbing out his cigarette in the guy’s eye every time he condescendingly claps him on the shoulder with that, “Hey, man, I’m sorry, but it’s never going to happen…” look on his face.

But it’s not like Asuma ever does what other people think he’s supposed to do, anyway.


	5. it's not supposed to be like this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dubcon and gayngst. [Obito/Kakashi]

Obito fumbles with his pants zipper, clumsy fingers belying a dexterity seemingly only reserved for throwing shuriken and hand seal formations. The tell-tale sign of burning in his tear ducts makes its ugly self known, and he is humiliated yet again.

“Dammit,” he whimpers, swallowing down an embarrassed moan. “Damn it all to hell…”

There’s a sigh escaping from the lips attached to his neck.

“Such a cry-baby,” Kakashi says dryly, drawing backwards and wiping a stray tear from the Uchiha’s cheek. “How did you ever make it to jounin?”

“It’s not supposed to be like this.”

Kakashi grinds his hips into his own, and Obito jerks rigidly, feet as unsteady as the thoughts racing through his traitorous mind.

He has never been so stupidly turned on as he is now.

Fingers threading through silver finery, Obito trembles at Kakashi’s unbearably warm breath over his skin and hates it so much. His fantasies of Rin never make him feel anything close to _this_ , and it’s so goddamned _wrong_ , but—

“Nothing ever turns out like it’s supposed to, Uchiha.”

Obito wakes up with a gasp, legs tangled in soiled sheets with tears marring his face.


	6. oi, jichan!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things never change.

“Oi, jichan!”

Jiraiya can’t help the smile that blooms on his face at her voice. Sure enough, she’s standing in the doorway, wearing a cocky grin. He doesn’t even ask her how she broke into his intricately sealed house.

Ink blots into the scroll after he drops the paintbrush, exchanging it for his sake cup instead.

“What do you want, brat?” the sage asks, affection colouring his harsh words.

“When are you gonna stop calling me that?” Kurenai rolls her eyes. “I’m almost forty, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Jiraiya barks out in laughter and takes a sip from his cup, eyes crinkling in mirth.

“Never.”


	7. impulse makes her do it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only time he would ever kiss her was when he had a disorientating head wound. [Kakashi/Kurenai]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this out of _morbid_ curiosity and upon reading over it, I cried inside and wanted to throw myself off a cliff. NEVER AGAIN. Hope Kakashi/Kurenai fans are satisfied, because I felt like this while I was writing it:  
> 

Kurenai thinks it’s the rush of adrenaline that has gone to her head.

When Kakashi crawls out from underneath the collapsed rubble of the cave opening, relatively unscathed save for what appears to be superficial injuries, Kurenai launches herself into his arms. He stumbles, but she anchors him steadily back onto his feet.

“I thought you were dead,” she looks up at his face, brushing away dirt from his cheek and laughs shakily with sweet relief. “You fucking scared me…”

The corner of Kakashi’s lips curl visibly from his torn mask. That damned smirk of his will never get old.

“So little faith—”

Impulse makes her do it. Kakashi freezes while her lips graze his own chapped ones, so fleetingly that they both are unsure of whether whatever the hell that was had just happened.

The gravity of her actions kicks Kurenai in the face. She frantically scrambles backwards.

“Fuck,” she blurts out eloquently. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have done that! That was stu—”

Kakashi steps forward and kisses her. Ozone lingers from his lightning release, mingled with the copper tang of blood. _He smells of the battlefield._ It’s absurdly fitting. She wants to laugh, but her mouth is otherwise occupied.

When it ends, the jounin draws backwards, pupils dilated.

“Huh,” he says, dazed. “Did we just commit incest?”

Kurenai bursts out in hysterics, burying her face in Kakashi’s shirt while he grins stupidly, still bleeding from a head wound.

It’s decidedly a good look on him.


	8. come back inside with me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin, in 3D. [Shizune/Rin]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, Chapter 20 of _Unsolicited Providence_ is stupidly late. I've had exams, going to Melbourne and GETTING A PUPPY!!!!! get in the way of writing.
> 
> Here's a little ditty that's been running around in my thoughts to make up for it. c;

Rin is not as naïve as everyone thinks her to be. Just because she sees the good in everyone, doesn’t mean that she doesn’t acknowledge the bad. She’s aware of Obito’s blind adoration of her—every stammer, every blush, all of those blinding smiles.

It makes her angry, sometimes.

He doesn’t even know her, not really. Obito only sees her as some perfect creature atop a pedestal, otherworldly in her purity and goodness. Rin, however, is not infallible; she is flawed, like any other human being. Obito is the naïve one, here.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was just a stupid childish crush. He sees her as weak, a burden to the team when field medics are the true foundation of any team. Rin has saved Kakashi’s life more times than he has saved hers, and yet he still wears the same look of superiority over her. The conceited bastard thinks everyone is beneath him, aside from maybe Kurenai.

Jealousy seethes through her for only a few moments. It’s an ugly feeling with the bile rising up at the back of her throat, a caustic bitterness burning unpleasantly in its wake.

“What are you doing here, all by yourself?”

Rin jumps, startled by the sudden voice.

Shizune stands behind her on the balcony, arms hugging herself in the frigid night air. A butterfly hairpin clasps back her fringe, its iridescent mother of pearl wings shimmering in the muted glow of the lights.

Laughter and music filters in from the room behind them, the sharp sting of reality bringing Rin back to awareness.

“Just… thinking,” she replies, detaching her hand from the railing.

“Are you okay?” Shizune’s brow creases with worry.

“…no, not really.”

The girl steps closer, joining Rin at the edge of the balustrade. She can’t help but admire Shizune’s choice of outfit for the night. The sleeveless navy dress falls snugly above her knees, complemented by a demure neckline. A simple silver necklace with a matching butterfly charm finishes the look.

It suits Shizune perfectly.

“What do you think of me?” Rin asks, managing to tear her eyes off of the dress and looks into her eyes directly.

Shizune isn’t prepared for the question, her warm eyes widening slightly for a fraction of a second. Quickly composing herself, she leans over the top of the balcony railing, looking contemplatively over the garden.

“You’re dedicated and intelligent,” Shizune answers earnestly, turning her head to face Rin. “And strong.”

“Strong?” she splutters incredulously, heat rising to her cheeks.

“Of course. We medics have to be, right?”

A laugh escapes Rin’s lips, the first genuine one of the night. Shizune grins back, itself and her perfume a soothing balm on Rin’s conscience, the comforting scent of sencha drifting from her hair.

“Come back inside with me?” Shizune holds out a hand invitingly.

Rin takes it and smiles at her. “Okay.”


	9. we were waiting up for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi comes home from a mission to find a pair of unexpected visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I vowed to finish Ch20 by the end of this month. Life has been way too hectic lately.

The room is dark. Light from the apartment building’s corridor leaks through the open front door, illuminating the faces of two unconscious occupants. Kakashi pauses at the doorway, watching a passed out Obito drooling onto the shoulder of his equally unconscious sister. They've fallen asleep on the couch together, looking too awfully close for Kakashi's own liking. His teammate lets out a sudden loud snore, followed by the mumbling of something incoherent, though suspiciously sounding like the name of his other, female teammate. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Kakashi shuts the front door of his studio apartment and uses his finely honed ninja skills to pad silently into the room, trying not to wake either of them up.

Kurenai is soundly asleep, chest rising and falling at steady intervals. Her face is smooth of any creased brows, completely relaxed. She looks blissfully peaceful in this state, he notes with a content fondness, unlike her usual stressed out, moody self. He figures that she wouldn't appreciate being caught in such a compromising position with Obito, though, so he shakes her shoulder gently.

“ _Wake up, sis,_ ” Kakashi whispers in their speak. “Minato-sensei's shirtless, and you're missing out on the view.”

With a jolt, Kurenai snaps awake, blinking her eyes blearily.

“Kakashi…?” she squints at him in hazy realisation. “ _You're back._ ”

Obito doesn't stir, still asleep and resting his head on her shoulder. The idiot sleeps like the dead, as Kakashi already knows from their missions, which is a dangerous trait to have for a ninja. Not that Obito makes for a good ninja, anyway, even if he slept with his Sharingan activated in both eyes.

The Raijuu takes a seat next to Kurenai, nestling into the cushy seat. “I just got home. What are you two doing at my place?”

“We were waiting up for you,” she says. “Rin couldn’t make it ‘cause she’s got a graveyard shift at the hospital.”

“You guys didn’t have to.”

She smiles and snuggles against his side, resting her head against his shoulder.

“We wanted to,” his sister lets out a long yawn, eyes fluttering closed again. “Can I go back to sleep? It’s been a hell of a longass day, otouto.”

“Sure.”

Kakashi eases out a sigh, enjoying the bodily warmth from finally having human contact again. Before he easily slips into the dreamland, the last thing that he’s aware of is the sound of Kurenai’s steady breathing with Obito’s soft snores filling the room once again.


	10. she wants to believe him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She still doesn't believe in fate. [Asuma/Kurenai???]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if this is romantic or platonic. Queerplatonic? Interpret it what you will.
> 
> When will an update for the fic be coming? After my exams, definitely.  
> How long after my exams? Depends on whether my life gives me a break or not.

“You can count on me,” Asuma kisses her forehead, his thumb lightly caressing her cheek. “I’ll always be here for you.”

Her soft laugh carries a weight of sadness. Kurenai returns the gesture by tracing his bearded jawline, feeling it prickle beneath her fingertips.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

The corner of his lips quirk upwards, slightly. His steady gaze on her doesn’t waver.

“I keep all of my promises, Kurenai.”

She wants to believe him, but she can’t.

“Hey,” a calloused hand cups the side of her face, gently directing her averted eyes back towards him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Fingers grasp at the front of his shirt. _Stop lying._ The words threaten to spill from Kurenai’s voice but remain firmly lodged behind gritted teeth. She looks away, unable to stay pinned underneath his stare. Asuma’s eyes are filled with a conviction that squeezes at her chest unbearably.

_You’re going to die. You’re going to die, and I won’t be able to do jack shit about it._

Steady arms wrap around her. “Things will be okay,” his breath tickles her ear. “You’re okay.”

“I’m not okay,” she says.

Kurenai feels his chest sink in a quiet sigh against her own. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, Asuma holds her closer, as if he needs the reassurance for himself as much as she does.

His voice almost cracks, “We will be.”


	11. always a martyr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forgiveness comes easily to this version of Obito. [Obito/Kurenai]

She isn’t perfect. Hell, Kurenai isn’t even a very nice person, sometimes. Obito knows this, having been on the receiving end of her schoolyard taunts. _Cry-baby. Pathetic scum._ He can still feel the tears sting at his eyes, pricking at the corners in a humiliated burn. There was always the niggling feeling of doubt and suspicion at the back of his mind, when she’d extended her hand to him in so-called friendship.

“I used you.”

It’s been years since that day in the playground, and Obito’s mind recounts the series of events that have led up to this very moment with them both on her bedroom floor. He doesn’t regret a thing; he’s long forgiven her.

The kunoichi takes another swig of her beer, finger tracing along the rim of the can. Her usually piercing stare is blunted in a half-drunken haze. Kurenai’s cheek is squished against his shoulder, her hand resting on Obito’s bare thigh. The fingers idly tracing patterns against his skin make him acutely aware that he’s only in his boxers. She’s wearing his navy t-shirt, her black cotton panties peeking through the excess fabric pooled around her crossed legs. Obito swallows and digs his nails into the rug beneath them, knowing that his hard-on is blatantly visible through his pants.

Letting out a trembling breath, Obito reaches out and slowly cards his fingers through her tousled hair. She half-closes her eyes, biting her bottom lip.

“It’s okay,” he says, smiling and meaning it in all of his warm sincerity. “I already knew, but I didn’t really care.”

“Always a martyr,” Kurenai murmurs.

She tilts her head up slightly to reach his lips with her own. The faint tang of beer grazes against his tongue along with her taste, and he gets lost in her kiss.


	12. vulnerability really isn't her strong suit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gai is there for her. [Kurenai & Gai]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't know when I'm getting back to the main fic, but here's a surprise vignette.

The evening air is cool against her sweat-slicked skin. It is the last thing Kurenai’s mind takes notice of right before Gai delivers a clean roundhouse kick straight to her side.

She falls to the ground with a heavy thud. Scrapes sting on the underside of her gritty palms. Panting heavily, Kurenai clutches at her bruised ribs, groaning in pain while her fingers dig into soil and sparse grass.

“Are you okay?”

Gai hovers over her prone form. He extends a hand, but she bats it away and curses, eyes screwed shut to prevent any frustrated tears from escaping. There’s a noisy scuffle, and the soft disturbance of the ground next to Kurenai tells her that Gai has sat down. She cracks open her eyelids, blinking away the wetness to see her friend gently pry apart her fingers with his own.

His other hand rests at the hem of her top. “Can I…?”

Kurenai nods mutely. Gai lifts up the tanktop to her bruised ribs with a pragmatic gaze, inspecting the damage done.

“Does it hurt when you breathe?” he asks.

The sharp pain punctuating each rise and fall of her chest confirms it.

Gritting her teeth, Kurenai grounds out, “Yeah… my ribs are fucked, aren’t they?”

Gai pulls her top down again, eyes clouded in apology. “I’m sorry, Kurenai-chan. I shouldn’t have used so much force...”

She sighs, breath jittery with the uncomfortable throbbing in her side.

“It’s alright. These things happen, Gai.” _Shizune can patch me up, anyway._

A fraught pause. The weight in her chest grows heavier with the stifling silence, and Kurenai bursts into tears.

“I’m so mad,” she says, horrified at herself.

The corners of her eyes sting with salt. Gai remains oddly composed, though reassuring as he holds her hand. Kurenai isn’t terribly surprised. She knows him well enough to see that his maturity and emotional regulation are often understated by others in place of a boisterous idiot.

“Why?”

She hiccoughs wetly, face burning with humiliation. Vulnerability really isn’t her strong suit.

“I’m so mad at myself.”

Gai’s eyes soften. “You shouldn’t be. I’ve trained with you for months, and I’ve seen you improve by leaps and bounds.”

Kurenai grips the steady hand over hers, stiffly heaving her torso up from the ground. The lamps on the training grounds illuminate the area, mosquitos flitting in and out of view between light and shadow.

It’s already summer. There’s not much time left.

Gai wipes her face with the back of his hand, grinning with encouragement.

“See? You’ve got a strong will, Suiren. It’s why you’re one of my most treasured friends!”

Kurenai smirks half-heartedly, giving him a soft shove. “God, you’re so cheesy.”

Secretly, she’s grateful.


End file.
